


Book Smarts and Butterflies

by iamnotapyromaniac



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bisexual Hermione Granger, F/F, Fluff, Yule Ball (Harry Potter), beauxbatons is for the girls and the gays that’s it, beauxbatons is just completely filled with wlw and mlm you can’t convince me otherwise, besides that I’m just having fun, with a sprinkle of conflict
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:01:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25854778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamnotapyromaniac/pseuds/iamnotapyromaniac
Summary: Hermione Granger was getting pretty tired of being a part of the “golden trio”. She knew she could be more than just Harry Potter’s incredible smart friend. So she decides to branch out come the year of the Triwizard Tournament, specifically the time for the Yule Ball.Well this wasn’t exactly the plan, but when someone like Fleur Delacour asks you to the aforementioned ball, and invites you to meet her friends, it kind of just happens like that. Who knew how much you could learn outside the classroom.
Relationships: Fleur Delacour/Hermione Granger
Comments: 9
Kudos: 219





	Book Smarts and Butterflies

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Harry Potter, for obvious (gay) reasons.

"I won't be going alone because believe it or not someone's asked me. And I said yes!"

And with that Hermione marched off, putting her books back on the shelf and continuing down the corridor with a little more spring in her step than before. 

Yes someone did indeed ask her to the Yule Ball, someone she didn't expect. But it was certainly much better than watching Ronald Weasley completely disregard that she was in fact, a girl. Before turning the corner she could feel his and Harry's eyes on her gleeful skip, which only made her bounce a little higher. 

"Trying to shake out the wrackspurts?" A wispy voice called from just inside an alcove. The voice revealed itself to be a lanky looking girl with strings of blueberries dangling from her ears and an almost vacant smile. 

Hermione stopped bouncing to face Luna, simply too content to question what spell she used on the blueberries to preserve them long enough to wear as jewelry. "No, no wrackspurts, today is simply a good day." 

Luna took Hermione's lack of confusion and judgement as a good sign, and took a chance by following her as she continued to skip away, matching her speed almost immediately. Matching mannerisms is something she learned calmed people and made them less likely to awkwardly try to get away from her. 

"Would I be ruining your mood to ask what you're bobbing about for?" 

"Not one bit!" Hermione exclaimed. "You see, I've been waiting quite some time for this person to just build up the courage to ask me to the Yule Ball, but someone else asked me just the other day and it's someone I certainly couldn't refuse." 

Luna's eyes glossed over for a brief moment of contemplation, then suddenly it seemed that realization dawned upon her.

"Ron can be so clueless sometimes can't he?" She questioned with no malicious intent, though by the look on Hermione's face she might as well have just confessed to the murder of Merlin himself. 

"You..." she began, a bit too harshly but took a breath to contain herself. "You're right, and I thought I was just subtle enough." 

"My father tells me I have a gift for seeing things, even through subtlety. Says I was blessed by the Scale-Padded Alamat." Luna spoke sincerely and apologetically. She knew Hermione wouldn't believe her, at least about the Alamat, but at least her face seemed civil and calmed as she chuckled a bit. 

"Luna has someone asked you to the ball yet?" said Hermione, changing the subject and unconsciously resuming her skip. She had already passed several halls she could have escaped down, but something about talking to Luna felt refreshing, perhaps it was her bluntness and honesty. She could see just what made her dorm mates rave on about how Looney she was, but perhaps it wasn't something to be ashamed of. 

"Not as of yet, though I'm not expecting it. I think dancing with me would be just a bit too close for anyone." Though she spoke so dreamily and neutral toned, Hermione could feel the tinge of hurt in Luna's voice. In this moment, an idea sparked in her mind. She was going to get Luna a date. 

"Keep walking with me will you?" 

"Oh, of course." Luna's mind spun more than usual with all the prospects this budding friendship may hold. It may have just been a small gesture but on this particular day, Luna fancied herself an optimist. 

——

The girls followed the twists and turns of the castle with unfamiliar ease. The stairs had taken the liberty of staying in place and the halls were surprisingly empty, considering the school currently harboured a few hundred more students than usual. 

Finally reaching the entrance to the courtyard, Hermione led Luna through where apparently, the entire student body of Hogwarts had chosen to reside for the day. Sifting through cloaks and parkas, Hermione gestured for Luna to sit opposite three gorgeous faces adorning the pale blue of Beauxbatons. 

"Luna Lovegood I'd like you to meet Colette Boucher, Raphael Dubois and of course.' Hermione rose her head and looked to the sky, clearly in attempt to keep an impartial face, "Fleur Delacour." 

The trio smiled at Luna brightly. Colette in particular, took great interest. "Your hair, same colour as Fleurs!" She exclaimed as if never before seeing someone with hair so unlike hers, dark red and about the size of a nearby bush. "And those earrings, blueberries!' she was standing up now to sit next to Luna, not hesitating to tug lightly as if testing their authenticity. "Magnifique!"

Hermione and the other two Beauxbatons students shared a giggle as Colette continued to dote on Luna, and she didn't seem to mind, taking this opportunity to share all the wondrous benefits the blueberries had, as well as various jewelry pieces she wore and removed to show her new admirer. 

"I believe you've done it 'ermione." Fleur spoke once their attention had swayed from the two. Fleur turned to the boy named Raphael "She's like Cupid yes? First you and the sweet yellow house girl, now Colette and..." she turned to Hermione 'Lola did you say?" 

" Luna" Hermione supplied softly, having just torn herself away from Fleur's aforementioned brilliant blonde hair. "Luna Lovegood. And yes I do believe I've done a fine job." She added, as she still needed to acknowledge her growing pool of skills outside academics. Another of these apparently being able to attract the attention of a girl, a Veela of all things. 

As if reading her thoughts, Luna chose this moment to rejoin the conversation and glanced between the two, and saying only just light enough to be considered a whisper, "Is she the one?" 

At this Hermione struggled to look around for anything that wasn't Luna's vacantly smug facial expression. 

"Why of course I am 'the one', my name came out of the Goblet, you must've seen." Fleur spoke while Hermione's head seemed to be malfunctioning.

Colette was slipping some of Luna's corkscrew bracelets on her own wrists and without looking up calmly said "Assuming you actually meant date, yes she is the one. Fleur couldn't stop talking about her from the moment we arrived, hadn't seen her like that since- ".

"Hush!" Fleur cried "No one needs to know about that! Any who, my mistake yes I'm the one." She glances pointedly at Hermione. "You've been talking about me? Making me a mystery now?" 

Hermione was finally able to refocus herself at this. "That's ridiculous, but yes maybe." Truth was she didn't want to tell anyone, she wanted the element of surprise when she showed up on the arm of the most sought after champion, maybe even student on the grounds. 

The group shared a laugh, even Luna giggled, and didn't interrogate Hermione further. They sat on the benches for longer than any of them anticipated, swapping stories, near death experiences (Hermione surprisingly didn't have the highest score, Raphael turned out to be a walking death wish with two auror parents, with the tendency to make enemies) and even more laughs. 

They departed just before dinner, Luna and Collette came out with dates to the Yule ball, and Hermione with even more excitement than before. She wasn't going to let any oblivious red heads get her down.

————————————

It turns out the universe really wanted to test Hermione Jean Granger. 

After her dramatic exit from the library, Harry and Ron would not get off her back about who she was going with. Well it was mostly Ron. Harry seemed much too busy loosing all sense of self, as well as common sense when either Cedric, Cho or Draco Malfoy walked by, but it wasn't her business. 

"Please Mione! Just a hint!" wailed Ron, for what seemed like the hundredth time that week while they sat, once again, in the library. "Maybe they can set me up with someone, wouldn't want me to show up looking all sad and alone would you?" 

"Actually, for all the study time your whining is taking away from me I wouldn't mind that." Hermione snapped. She and Fleur had stayed up much too late debating the practicality of each of their school uniforms, and might have swapped them at one point in at attempt to prove the other wrong. Her ears warmed a bit at the memory. 

"Why don't we go together Ron?" Harry asked suddenly. Hermione was relieved this caught him so off guard he'd spun around and straight out of his chair. 

Standing and reseating himself, Ron assumed the role of a doctor telling their patient they've got a terminal ailment. "Harry, mate, as flattered as I am, and as much as I love you, you aren't my type." He attempted to answer coolly.

"That hurt, but I meant as friends you tosser" said Harry "So Hermione is your type?" He added innocently. "What, I-, no!" Ron's gaze flitted between his two best friends nervously. Hermione just watched, as this was very entertaining. "Why would you think that?"

"Well you asked her to the ball, and if you won't go with me because I'm not your type that must mean-"

"Scratch whatever bollocks I just said, course I'll go with you Harry! Long as you help me cut off all the dreadful frills on my robes." Harry and Hermione were somehow both successful in holding in boatloads of laughter at Rons awful attempts to cover his hopeful embarrassment. 

———

Three days before the ball, Hermione was attacked.

Well not exactly attacked, but it sure felt that way being forcefully pulled into one of the castles many alcoves on her way down to breakfast. Harry and Ron has taken too long, caught up in Nevilles early morning dance classes no doubt. Soon as he heard they were going together, he very publicly stated "I will not let four left feet take the first dance" and proceeded to rally up quite a following of people who were very desperate to at least learn the waltz, which Neville had down pat. 

Back in the present, Hermione was sputtering and wriggling trying to defend against her attacker. 

"Ow! Hermione you- arrête!" said Raphael, detaining Hermione's arms behind her back as he pulled her into the alcove, which was already occupied by a group of four. 

Hermione's eyes quickly swept across Fleur, Luna, Colette and Susan Bones before rounding back on Raphael. "When I said I wanted to meet privately, I did not mean I wanted to be manhandled!" she huffed. In further attempts to keep her date a secret, she asked the Beauxbatons trio to be discrete when talking with her, but she didn't expect an ambush. 

"None of us did" said Luna, 'but he must've been hiding here since before the house elves were up, kidnapping us one by one. I admire the confidence we would all walk past here." Hermione noticed her and Colette were sort of one unit in the corner, and that Colette had some orange slices dangling from her ears. 

"So for what reason are you holding hostages?" Hermione looked at Raphael quizzically with a fair hint of annoyance. 

"So glad you asked!" He clapped his hands and pulled out a large pile of cloth from the corner, handing out the navy blue cloaks, made from an awfully itchy material. "The ball is in three days time, so we must prepare, and look our absolute best!" 

"Not to be rude-" Fleur started and Susan continued "these are the worst things I've ever seen and I will not be seen in them, ever!" She chucked it behind her and crossed her arms. 

"I of course don't mean these." said Raphael, 'these are just 'or going down the Hogsmeade, and you know, not being seen? Like someone insisted upon?" Hermione felt a strange sense of guilt, the cloaks were pretty horrendously fashioned, but the dress her moms had bought for her was criminally out of date, so she would absolutely be up for getting something brand new. 

Susan piped up again. "Some of us already have things, and the only shop worth visiting is Gladrags, which is out of this world expensive. Besides, I'm starving, goodbye." And with that, Susan was no longer a hostage of the alcove. 

Raphael sighed and muttered something under his breath about Cedric Diggory before speaking to the group again. "Alright, well we will be the most fashionable at the ball, don't worry about pricing my aunt works in management for the supplier, she promised discounts for my 'special friends' er something. 

"We've actually been sewing some of our own outfits, so there's really no need." Luna said, looking up at Colette as she nodded with a wide smile on her face. "Sorry." 

"This is so depressing!" cried Raphael "I try doing something nice, fun, blows up in my face. You two will go won't you?" He looks at Hermione and Fleur with pleading eyes. 

"I would love to." They say in unison, sharing a look of amusement and excitement. 

"Thank Merlin! If I had to go by myself.... would've been very sad, now put on those cloaks and let's go before it gets busy." 

Hermione, Fleur and Raphael put the dreadful cloaks on and left Luna and Colette in the alcove. They didn't seem to mind. 

——-

"How about this one?" Fleur asks as she walked into the changing room of Gladrags Wizardwear, holding an emerald green sleeveless dress.

"Absolutely not" Hermione replied "There's no reliability in the chest area and green just isn't my colour." She had to laugh after that, she actually doubled over. Never had she ever expected those words to come out of her mouth. But they felt good, carefree.

Raphael found a set of gorgeous lavender dress robes the minute he walked in and Fleur had already picked out an elegant silvery gray gown with a golden trim. That's something Hermione had learned about Fleur over the few weeks of knowing her. She knew what she wanted and most often, got it. It also absolutely helped being irresistible to a good percentage of the population. 

Fleur and Raphael walked in and out of the dressing room numerous times. Hermione styled dresses in every colour of the rainbow, perhaps even on the colour wheel before even putting some into consideration. 

It had to be an hour and a half after they entered the shop that Hermione fell in love with a beautiful periwinkle gown. It had the modesty she wanted as well as a wow factor to it. She'd never seen anything like it in any mall, boutique or street side vendor in London. Not even in magazines or on the television. It was almost like the dress was made for her. Of course this is what Raphael had suggested, knowing Hermione's distaste for any prophecy or any divination related implication. Still, it was perfect. 

And Hermione was sure, the night of the Yule Ball would be too.

The day had come. The one that has been whispered about in classroom corners, cried about in dormitory rooms, laughed about between close friends. 

The Yule Ball. 

Hermione Granger was over the moon excited, as well as terrified. Looking in the mirror, for the first time in her life, she questioned who looked back at her. Sleekeazy's hair potion had done absolute wonders on her absolute mane of hair. That paired with Parvati's phenomenal makeup skills and her new gown, she was a whole new person, and didn't mind one bit. 

She and Fleur had agreed on meeting in the entrance hall, she wanted as little time as possible for anyone to see them together before the reveal. She hadn't cared this much about what other people thought of her or saw her doing since second year, and that was for completely different and much more dangerous circumstances. 

She walked alone through the halls, occasionally passing a fellow Hogwarts student, some who didn't pay her any attention and some who were full on gaping at this person they thought they'd never seem before. There were couples getting an early start to the night and Filch already on the prowl for any first, second or third years trying to break curfew. Maybe it was because her head was always in a book, or telling off Harry and Ron, but tonight Hermione saw the school differently than she ever had before. 

She could already hear the bustle of the ballroom as she made her way down to the Grand Entrance. She saw Cedric Diggory looking lovingly into the eyes of Cho Chang, Viktor Krum with an arm around Lee Jordan, and all the other guests pooling in through the door. She wasn't surprised Harry and Ron were no where to be seen.

Just as she was about to descend the stairs, she had a tap on her shoulder and nearly fell down much less gracefully than she'd planned. Spinning around expecting to see Fleur, she was surprised to see Luna, Colette and Raphael. 

"Hermione? Parvati was not joking you look amazing, and completely unrecognizable. Besides the wrackspurts of course" came the still so alarmingly calm voice of Luna Lovegood. She wore a brilliant navy dress while Colette had a set of dress robes to match. It was clear they'd fashioned them themselves, with all the meticulous details, some unusual pockets and shapes, not to mention the oddly shaped glasses they both wore. Meanwhile Raphael had on his lavender robes with black hair slicked back, but not so much as to make him look like a spoiled prick. Overall they looked fantastic. And Hermione said as much 

"You lot look fantastic!"

"I know" Raphael replied 'it's a shame Susan bailed, but I believe it'll be much more fun as a free and available man." As he said this he eyed the hall entrance, clearly excited about his revelation. 

"Well we better get going, wouldn't want to miss your grand reveal 'ermione" Colette said as she led Luna down the steps with Raphael following quickly behind. 

"Miss Delacour have you not got a date? And Potter you don't either? My I would've thought more from two champions" Hermione heard McGonagall scold just a few steps away. It was clear that Fleur had arrived and she revealed herself at the top of the stairs, clearing her throat as she made a descent, many eyes turned towards her. 

"Actually, she does, sorry I'm late professor." 

The next series of events were very comical. Someone, most likely Ron had fallen to the ground. Harry, who had been trying to explain to McGonogall that Ron was his date, scrambled to grab him, resulting in him running into Pansy Parkinson, knocking her and her glass of something that certainly wasn't butterbeer into a suit of armour, causing the suit to let out a half yelp grabbing the attention of about 20 people who stood outside the ballroom.

"My Miss Granger, that's one way to make an entrance" McGonogall said, a fair amount of amusement on her tongue. "Very well, come down and stand with your date. As for you Potter, if Mr. Weasley is certainly your date and this is no practical joke, you two get behind them it's just about time." At this, the witnesses to the human domino routine entered the ballroom. 

Hermione finished climbing down the stairs and stood arm in arm with Fleur, who looked gorgeous in her gown and simple half up hairdo; ignoring the incredibly loud whispers from Ron just behind. 

"You look beautiful" Fleur muttered in her ear, causing them to start heating up as she muttered something similar to "you too" back. Fleur looked content with herself, and moved her eyes forward as Cedric and Cho walked through the doors. 

Hermione was then consumed in the tragic realization she completely forgot how to dance. Normally, she would have studied for this, learned each technique to the point of perfection, but she had had other things on her mind. She watched Viktor and Lee walk through the doors and realized her window of escape was closing. She started to regret going all out on her outfit, that would mean too many eyes on her as she stepped all over Fleurs toes, probably tripping them both. McGonogall was summoning them to the doors and Hermione seemed to also have forgotten how to walk. 

She must have started shaking slightly, and sent a telepathic message to Fleur because just before walking out, she squeezed her elbow and whispered "just follow my lead" in the most soothing voice Hermione had ever heard. Almost all her fears were wiped away at the simple sentiment as they walked into the hall. 

A collective gasp was heard from somewhere in the room, and Hermione kept her eyes on Fleur. Luckily Fleur has her eyes forward or they definitely would have slipped, the ground felt like ice underneath them. 

She has completely forgot the curtesy part of the entrance, and wouldn't have even done it if not for Fleur gently guiding her into it. She could feel at least 50 eyes on her every move. 

Too long after that, they made their way to their spot designated by a ring of blue sparkling magic, which disappeared upon their arrival. 

Harry and Ron received much less of a reaction than Hermione and Fleur had. The fact that the two boys were going together had cycled through the rumour mill more than a few times, each time with a new explanation, more ridiculous than the last. Though it was nothing unusual for the so called Mill. 

After they took their place, the first few notes of an unfamiliar classical sounding song rang around the room. Well familiar to some, it was an old wizard tune, unlike anything most of the muggleborns had heard before. Though, with a signal from Professor Flitwick, the four pairs all knew the first dance had begun. 

Hermione felt one of Fleur's soft hands guiding hers to her waist as she placed her own on her shoulder, intertwining the others. Fleur began to move them around in time with the rest of the dancers. Watching her feet for a few graceful steps gave Hermione a slim idea of what she was meant to be doing, and she went with it. She then looked up and found Fleur staring right at her wearing a wide smile. She never felt herself blush more than she did in that moment as she returned it.

The other guests must have joined the dance floor by now, Hermione felt them around her, but didn't feel like looking. She had always thought the waltz, or any dance really, to be quite boring and a waste of time. Though certain circumstances helped her to see differently. Each time Fleur twirled her she felt like she was flying. She decided maybe the one romance book she had ever read, wasn't over exaggerating. 

It could've been years, months, or 20 minutes of dancing before Fleur decided to lead them off to a table. Hermione didn't complain. 

They weaved through tables until they came across Luna and Raphael seated together in close proximity to a massive refreshment bar. Colette and a boy in mint dress robes seemed to be walking back to the table with fifty percent of it.

"Flawless, perfection, an outstanding entrée! " Raphael exclaimed while executing an exaggerated Chefs kiss. Hermione had never seen him quite as French as he was acting right then. 

Fleur thanked him, and proceeded to ask about the boy in the mint suit quickly approaching. He spewed something about matching colour schemes but Hermione was much too interested in the arriving refreshments, mostly to deter her attention from an arriving ginger. 

"Wow are those chocolate eclairs? Brilliant" Hermione says before picking one up shoving it into her mouth, lacking much grace. She wasn't sure how she thought that would lead Ron away from the table, and thinking about it, she realized she made the situation worse. 

"Oh I love chocolate eclairs too Mione" Ron used his wand to lift two from the plate in the centre. "I think we should go somewhere private to talk about how much we love them ." 

Fleur only laughed at this, "You must really love those eclairs here at Hogwarts" and nodded for Hermione to go off with Ron, oblivious to the tension clearly connecting the two. 

Hermione stood and it felt like she stepped into the cloud of worry she had been avoiding for so long. Of course she has been excited to go to the ball with Fleur; and of course she was excited to have a grand reveal to the school, but through all that she suppressed all her anxieties. 

She had been scarred, hanging out and talking to people that weren't Ron and Harry, terrified the distance she was making would be unfixable. She'd been terribly frightened at the thought of even going to the ball at all, dances were such a teenage thing and she really preferred ignoring that fact and indulging herself in her studies. On top of this she still felt something with Ron, and had been dreading the exact conversation she was being dragged to. His reaction in the entrance hall really didn't help. Although unlike the muggle world, the wizard society seemed pretty progressive and she had seen many openly gay relationships, with very few negative reactions, there's always exceptions. Reality was truly crashing down on her in every way possible and Hermione Granger felt like she was going to explode. 

Suddenly she took the lead away from Ron who was pulling her to a corner of the room. She yanked him through one of the many mysterious doors lining the walls, hoping there wasn't any three headed animals waiting behind it and slammed the door.

"OK before you say anything you're going to listen to me, I have the right to go with whoever I wish. I recognize that you may also have been attracted to her, but merely for vanity reasons. I wanted to get to know her and her friends and that is why I haven't been hanging around you and Harry much, please don't be mad. I also know that this is revealing a part of myself you didn't know about, and honestly I didn't either until recently, and if our friendship will end because of it I want you to know that's simply absu-."

Ron moves at her very quickly, Hermione throws up her arms as shields, firmly believing this was when her life falls apart and instead of a hard blow long arms are around her. 

"I'm proud of you Hermione." 

"What?"

That wasn't what she had been expecting at all, Ron was the kind of person to erupt on petty situations like an eternal game of exploding snap. And now he's saying he was proud? 

"I am proud, that you stepped out of your comfort zone, as long as you can step back in it some time soon, I kind of haven't started any winter break homework." He laughed, it was nervous but genuine. "I am also proud of you for um, being you? I've heard other muggleborns talking against, y'know, same gender couples and I assumed muggles don't like it that much, and I just think it's cool how, open you just were about it- I'm rambling sorry. Oh and sorry" Ron suddenly realized he still had his arms around Hermione, and quite a few moments had passed. 

Through her immense shock, and ability to breathe again, Hermione smiled. She smiled so big it spread across her whole face and maybe it would have gone all the way around if possible. She hadn't lost anything, "Thank you!" she cried out before wrapping her own arms around Ron, entrapping them in a tight hug once more. He returned it and they stayed like that for fifty seven seconds. 

"Should be heading back now then?" Ron asked, another couple had come bursting through the door and had clearly not seen them. 

"I think that would be wise." Hermione said half glaring half smirking in the direction of the newcomers before leading Ron back into the dance hall. As they exited Harry was almost barreling towards them. 

"Hermione don't listen to him! He's just- oh you both look too happy." Harry tilted his head quizzically, "Did it actually go well?" 

Ron just laughed and walked over to his date, putting an arm around his shoulder and started telling the story much more like a fantastical adventure than what it really was, giving Hermione the thumbs up from behind. She returned them rolling her eyes in good humour.

Making her way back to her table she gleamed at Fleur. In her head she was jumping around, or perhaps flying around, she felt like she was on air anyway. The stress slid off her mind the minute she left that room. Ron wasn't mad at her, he was proud of her. 

Hermione sat right in the middle of a heated French conversation between Colette and Raphael that she could have understood if she really tried, but she was much more interested in spending the rest of her night blissfully dancing and having fun with her new friends, old friends, and Fleur, whatever she could call her now. 

"Ernione, its getting quite loud and hot in here, and I would love to see the gardens at night, would you show me around?" 

Hermione nodded, took Fleurs hand and stood back up leading them towards the entrance doors. She noticed she was skipping ever so slightly and thought back numerous weeks to a similar scenario. Although this time, when she looked over her shoulder, Harry and Ron were smiling at her, Ron even winked and she couldn't help letting out a laugh. 

With her eyes back towards the door, she saw Professor McGonogall, who smiled as she let them past and called out, "having fun ladies?" 

And they said yes.

**Author's Note:**

> If you’re seeing this, thank you so much for reading! This is the first piece of writing I’ve put out into the world that I actually worked hard on. Any kind of interaction would be very much appreciated. :)


End file.
